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[juliag13]

Whaaa???

which is definitely not an omen

[juliag13]

Worried about tricksters or imposters getting in the way of your communion with the Gods?

Take 5 and read this very thoughtful and insightful post! So on point! 😁🙏🏽❤️

Is it the gods, an imposter/trickster spirit, or your own trauma?

The reason I am choosing to make this post is because I've seen an increase in the trickster/imposter spirit talk in polytheist and pagan spaces, and I feel like I have some personal experience with this that may be helpful to share with others. Whether you agree or disagree with me is entirely up to you, and I am not trying to force anyone to follow the same belief system as me, since we all have a different truth, but I wanted to share my take on things in case it can be useful to someone, so without further adieu, here we go.

I feel like there is a serious problem within pagan spaces of individuals projecting their personal traumas onto gods.

I'm just gonna outright say it: this is a very real problem within the pagan (and the polytheist) community. So, what exactly do I mean by this? How are people "projecting their traumas onto gods"?

When I say this, I don't mean to imply that people are doing this intentionally. In fact, I think that 99% of the time people are doing this without realizing it. It takes a serious level of self-awareness to recognize when one is projecting traumas onto a situation, and in my experience, therapy often aids significantly in making these types of discoveries; once you recognize it within yourself, sometimes you can also recognize similar behaviors in others (do not diagnose anybody with anything, though, or assume you know everything about them and their life).

Personally, I have done a lot of self-reflection and have become very aware of behaviors and experiences I've had in the past where I've projected my trauma onto the gods. For a lot of these experiences, at the time, I thought I was going through a situation with imposter spirits or "deity drama" (experiencing some kind of major drama with the gods), but looking back, I have spotted several underlying patterns (I suggest always looking for underlying patterns within your own situations; are your situations often very similar to each other, and do they remind you of situations from your past) within all of these scenarios - they have always been connected in one way or another, whether it be by the type of things the "gods" or "spirits" are communicating to me (what they are saying) or the type of situation I've gotten myself into with these entities (the type of drama I'm experiencing/how the situation plays out; e.g. it relates to some form of abandonment, hyper-criticism, emotional abuse, etc.).

In order to tell if these things are trauma-related, I've found that stopping and asking myself a few questions has been really helpful.

First, I asked myself, "When was the first time I felt this way in my life?" By that, I am asking myself when I first felt the emotion I'm feeling in the given situation (does this situation feel familiar, does this sense of sense of abandonment feel familiar, does this feeling of helplessness feel familiar, etc.). You'd be surprised how many times the answer to this question in a "negative experience with the gods" has been yes (100% of the time, actually).

The second question I ask myself is, "Would [insert deity name here] actually do [insert problem/bad experience here] to me?" Remember to think very critically about this question. It can be easy to think - especially if you have religious trauma - that some deity would really spend their time focused on "punishing" or berating you in particular, but realistically speaking, would a deity really spend their time tearing you down instead of lifting you up? Would they really spend their time telling you about how awful you are, how disappointed they are, how you're doing everything wrong, etc., especially if this is a deity you have been historically very close with? Why would this deity be upset with you in the first place? Now, sometimes deity DO get upset with us for our actions (and it is important to note that you may not click with every deity you encounter), but even then, keep in mind that deities are extremely mature and ancient beings; they aren't going to treat you in a cruel, or even abusive, manner. If you don't think deities are mature enough to treat and respect you as an actual person, maybe you should examine why you feel this way about them. Do you expect to be treated as less than a person by other people as well? Have you been treated this way in the past? Look for possible connections to your past traumas before completely discounting the idea that these beliefs are entirely unbiased.

With the third question, it's important to think very critically about your situation. "Why would [insert deity name here] treat me this way?" When answering this question, make sure to consider also asking yourself if you expect to be treated this way by other humans; the answer to that can be very telling. Some people also assume deities will treat them a certain way due to a deity's mythos. It's imperative to realize that a deity is often very different from their mythos in reality. Mythology isn't typically meant to be interpreted literally. Most of the time, mythology was there to explain things that didn't make sense to humans at the time, such as the seasons changing or the sun moving across the sky. Of course, that wasn't the only purpose of mythology, but it was one of the many. Along with that, deities were often paired with the cultural values of the time, such as Hades kidnapping Persephone being a common practice in ancient Greece when "taking a wife" or Zeus giving Persephone's hand in marriage without telling Demeter or Persephone first (fathers were seen as having the right to marry off their daughters, with or without consent). Consider the cultural context of a deity's mythos before immediately assuming a deity is accurately represented by it. Again, deities are extremely mature and ancient beings, so realistically, would such a wise, knowledgeable, and very mature being treat you in whatever way you think they're treating you now? Why do you think this?

A simple and easy answer for a deity acting out of character that people have come up with is "it's an imposter/trickster spirit", but...is it really? Or could it just be your personal traumas reflecting onto that deity? Do these situations feel a bit familiar to you? Do these harsh criticisms sound like something you'd maybe even say to yourself when in a negative state of mind? How would this spirit know how and when to target all of your deepest insecurities (spirits cannot just randomly read minds, in my experience)? Would it even be worth it for a spirit to impersonate a deity (think of the potential consequences they'd face for pretending to be a literal god; if humans were punished for their hubris, just think of what would happen to a spirit)? Would a deity really just allow some random spirit to impersonate them, and if so, why do you think this? Random spirits are not more powerful than literal gods - remember this. Do you think a god wouldn't at least try protect their worshippers from imposters in some way? Why would some spirit pretend to be a god anyway? What would they have to gain from you?

Rather than it being an imposter/trickster spirit "messing with you", could it really be your personal trauma manifesting itself within your mind?

A good example of something actually being trauma, within my personal life, is when I thought that Hermes was permanently leaving my life. After the fact, I blamed my experiences on an imposter/trickster spirit, but when I actually stopped and examined the situation, I realized it was a culmination of past traumas and fears coming to light and manifesting themselves within my mind. I began almost looking for reasons why Hermes would want to leave my life and told myself that he was going to "abandon" me, despite receiving tarot readings, and even some dreams, that were reassuring me Hermes was sticking around. I had constant nightmares about the situation, misinterpreted signs as being negative, and was constantly anxious about Hermes' perception of me. When I reflected on times in the past where I perceived to have been abandoned by others, I realized that this situation was eerily similar to these past traumatic events in my life. I took a step back from the situation, calmed my nerves as best as I could, and reproached the situation with a clearer and more stable mind. Sometimes taking that step back can help significantly in figuring out the true cause of a spiritual problem.

Why are deities so easy to project our traumas onto?

As is everything within this post, this is my personal opinion; you don't have to agree with me.

Personally, I believe deities act as mirrors into our subconscious. They reflect parts of ourselves that we choose to hide from, often to aid in our personal growth. Sometimes, though, they do this unintentionally, and I think it's something that's just inherent in their nature. I can't fully explain it, but it's definitely a phenomenon that I've seen time and time again within both my own practice and the practices of others.

As well as this, deities are intangible beings that we often cannot hear, see, or physically interact with. When you can't hear what someone is trying to say to you explicitly, your own biases and experiences often do the work for you in interpreting what that person is trying to communicate. It becomes alarmingly easy to assume that they're upset with you, randomly leaving your life forever, and so on. Think of a time where maybe a friend didn't respond to a text you sent and you thought they were upset at or ignoring you. When you have existing traumas involving people abandoning, ignoring, or even just being generally upset with you by not interacting with you, it becomes extremely easy to misinterpret the actions of others as something more malicious. It becomes extremely easy to project your past traumatic experiences onto completely unrelated situations and people. This is the same for deities, especially since you cannot hear, see, or physically interact with them.

What should you do if you discover that you've been projecting trauma onto a deity?

Chances are that if you've been projecting trauma onto a deity, they're already aware of it. In fact, they may have been trying to help reassure you or send communicate that the situation is not what it seems. You can find this is signs/reminders that they're still a part of your life, divination readings that everything is ok (despite you thinking or feeling otherwise), comforting dreams featuring the deity of symbols of said deity, and so on. Try looking for these signs and/or messages within your life, and see what you can find.

In rare cases, the deity may have been entirely unaware of the situation. I think, either way, it's best to communicate with this deity and tell them what you suspect has been going on. If you feel the need, you can offer an apology and maybe provide an offering as a way to make amends, but in my opinion, you never have to apologize for experiencing trauma and not knowing how to properly cope with it. Therapy exists for a reason, and trauma isn't something that you have to be ashamed of. Deities are very understanding and forgiving, and more than likely, they're not going to judge you for having potentially projected trauma onto them. In my experience, you have nothing to be afraid of.

If you're still unsure whether you are projecting trauma onto a deity or not, that's ok. Sometimes you never really get a concrete answer. When that happens, my advice is to move past the situation as best you can. You can give offerings to the deity and tell them, "I need to move past this situation with you because it is negatively affecting my mental health and well-being. When I am more stable/feeling better, we can readdress the issue," and take a step back from the problem for a while. It is more than ok to need space and time away from a deity or a situation to focus on your own wellness. If something is extremely triggering or upsetting for you, let your deity know, and take that step back that you need. You can always come back to the issue later, when you feel readier and more equipped to tackle the problem. Sometimes it just takes time for the issue to resolve itself, too. Either way, always prioritize yourself and your well-being.

Conclusion

It's clear that my stance regarding trickster/imposter spirits is simply that they aren't really a thing. This doesn't mean spirits can't be problematic (because they absolutely can), but I just personally feel that spirits aren't pretending to be gods. Spirits can certainly cause issues in other ways, such as messing with divination, causing you to feel uncomfortable/uneasy, or even being generally antagonistic towards you, but I don't personally believe they impersonate gods. It just doesn't seem realistic or worth it to me, especially when considering the fact that there will more than likely be massive consequences for such actions. It's more than ok if you disagree with me, but I'd like to ask that you don't reply to my post with an argument. This post is meant to give advice and share my personal thoughts, not start a debate about the existence of trickster/imposter spirits. To be completely honest, this is a triggering topic for me, but I wanted to make this post because I've seen so many new pagans and polytheists get discouraged or even straight up decline the opportunity to worship deities solely because they're scared of accidentally interacting with trickster spirits, and I want to reassure them by providing an alternative to out of character deity interactions. Plus, I haven't really seen anybody talk about this before, so I figured I'd hopefully shed some light on a topic that isn't usually discussed but is clearly a recurring issue within pagan and polytheist communities.

ANYWAY, thank you for reading this massive block of text! I hope it gave you some insight or at least a new perspective on this issue. Take care, and have a wonderful day/night! May your gods bless you, if you so wish them to. 🧡☺️

[juliag13]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing! 🙏🏽

Hermes Deity Deep Dive

This was a requested deep dive on Hermes, you can request a deep dive on my ko-fi for $5!

Hermes is one of the 12 Olympian Gods and is known as the herald or the messenger of the gods. Often depicted wearing winged shoes and holding a staff or wand, he was known to be the patron of heralds and messengers.

As with many deities, Hermes is the god of many things, such as poets, athletics, luck, travel, trade, omens, animal husbandry, and thieves. This multi-faceted god was often conflated with the Roman Mercury, though there are some key differences.

With that, let’s get to know Hermes!

Parents and Siblings

Zeus (father)

Maia (mother)

Lovers or Partners

Theses are the more common lovers found referenced with Hermes.

Aphrodite

Brimo

Daeira

Peitho

Persephone

Penelopeia

Children

These are all of the cited children I found, there may be some discrepancies depending on which myth you read and who tells the story.

Evander

Pan*

*The primordial god Pan has many origins, being the son of Hermes and Penelopeia is just one of these origins. The next three are thought to be aspects of Pan that may also be personified separately. Pan may be a tripartite deity, this will have to wait until Pan gets his own Deep dive.

Agreus

Nomios

Phorbas

Hermaphroditus

Abderus

Autolycus

Eudoros

Angelia

Myrtilus

Palaestra

Aethalides

Arabius

Astacus

Bounos

Cephalus

Cydon

Pharis

Polybus

Prylis

Saon

Epithets

The Greek gods have massive lists of names, here are some I’ve found on multiple lists.

Atlantiades

Argeïphontes

Cyllenian

Kriophoros

Notes

One of the more popular myths of Hermes is the myth of him stealing Apollo’s cattle as a baby. Hermes was freshly born, escaped his crib and stole his half-brother’s herd of cattle. In order to avoid getting caught, Hermes plays some devious and clever tricks, though the tricks he plays depends on the myth-teller. At some point on his journey with the cattle he finds a tortoise whose shell he turns into the very first lyre. Inevitably he gets caught by Apollo but the sun god is so charmed by the lyre that he allows Hermes to keep the cattle or at least forgives him.

Not only this myth, but others depict him as a trickster who enjoys a good prank.

Hermes was known to be the patron god of Arcadia as he was born in Mount Cyllene in Arcadia according to Homer.

Philostratus places Hermes’ birthplace in Olympus, however.

Hermes is also a psychopomp, a traveler between the realms of the living and dead who aides souls headed to the underworld.

It’s possible that Hermes’ name derives from the Greek herma which meant “heap of stones” or “cairn”. These heaps of stones, or cairns, were roadside markers for travelers and may have also acted as small shrines for the deity.

Hermes was notably charming even as a baby, considered a darling of the gods (ref) where many of the deities in the pantheon would teach or entertain young Hermes.

Hermes was said to have invented wrestling and racing.

One of his more prominent cults was in Attica during the Classical period. By this time he was considered to be the god of travelers and sailors.

Thoth was another deity conflated with Hermes.

Hermes in many myths and traditions is seen to be a liminal deity. Not only is he able to travel between the underworld and overworld with ease, but he is often depicted as both young and old, as a mediator between god and man, and as a dream bringer.

It’s possible that this ties into his involvement as an initiator for young adulthood.

The Hermea were festivals held in honor of Hermes.

Hermes’ staff or wand, the caduceus (staff with two snakes wound around it), is often mistaken for the Rod of Asclepius (staff with one snake wound around it).

Modern Deity Work

Explanations are placed next to each item on the list.

Correspondences

Rocks/Stone/Crystals

Copper - I couldn’t find a source for this but I’ve seen it on multiple posts now and my friends who follow Hermes cite this as well so it is worth a mention!

Gold

Silver

Rocks - Just rocks, specifically stacked rocks from the roadside. Cairns were

Herbs/Plants

Crocus flower - based on the myth where he accidentally kills Krokos and turns him or his blood into a flower.

Strawberry Trees (botanical name Arbutus unedo) - he had been nursed under one according to some myths.

Animals

Hare - he placed the hare amongst the stars as the constellation Lepus.

Tortoise - created the lyre out of a tortoise shell.

Cattle - stole Apollo’s cattle as a baby and is known to be a god of cattle rearing.

Hawk - he transformed two men, Hierax and Daidalon, into hawks.

Symbols

Caduceus - the name of the staff or wand he is depicted as carrying.

Shepherd’s Pipes - he created the shepherd’s pipes.

Winged shoes - the type of shoe varies by myth or artistic depiction but the “winged” part remains the same.

Winged hat - he is often depicted wearing a winged hat.

Traveler’s hat - he is often depicted wearing a traveler’s hat.

Offerings

Shepherd’s Pie - This is purely based on the fact that it’s similar to shepherd’s pipes and I find it amusing, I’m sure a god who enjoys jokes would enjoy this too but that’s my bias.

Koumara - I found this post by @grecowitch explaining that while strawberries are often cited as offerings for Hermes, this misconception comes from the misleading name of the “strawberry tree” which actually produces fruit called koumara! That said, I imagine Hermes wouldn’t be upset at receiving delicious strawberries.

Animal skins - Hermes

Coins - he is known to be a patron of not only merchants but thieves!

Other standard offerings to Grecian deities are olive oil, honey, cheeses, various fruits, milk, and candles.

Acts of Devotion

Write poetry - he is a god of poetry.

Travel - he is the patron god of travelers.

Learn how to play the lyre - he created the lyre.

Play sports - he is known as a god of athletics and during his festival days people would play sports.

Play pranks - I won’t advocate for harsh pranks, personally, but he is known as a trickster so do with that what you will.

Pray to him - pretty standard devotional act.

Go to the gym or otherwise exercise - he has been cited as the patron deity of gyms.

Build a cairn - DO NOT STACK ROCKS IN NATURE as it disrupts the natural environment! However, feel free to build one on your porch or in your house with rocks you may already have.

Celebrate Hermea - I was unable to find a set date-range for these festivals. Some suggested around the beginning of August, possibly due to his conflation with the Irish god Lugh’s holiday Lughnasadh; others suggested May 15 due to the Roman god Mercury’s holiday Mercuralia. That said, he was known to be worshipped during other holidays in Greek tradition alongside other deities.

References and Further Reading

Encyclopedia Mythica

The THEOI Project

Wikipedia

Britannica

[juliag13]

|| Birds of War

[juliag13]

Absolutely stunning! 🙌🏽❤️🙌🏽

Bacchus and Ariadne -Tullio Lombardo ~1505

[juliag13]

Hermes is that you?

I cried while reading this beautiful short story. Something in me felt a loss of something, a sadness and regret. If I were to define it it might be the deep sadness for the loss of our connection to the gods and a path of simple effortless trust, devotion and love on both our parts. Beneath that there’s a deep longing to have that again. In fact it’s what I strive for everyday. To have and relax into that trust, that bond and not worry that it’s fake or non-existent. Christian dogma and the rational left brained thinking has left a deep wound on my soul. Everyday I’m asked and ask to have that trust, that deep love, and to believe in it. With all my being. And everyday I try knowing the trying is the act of faith and love that brings me closer to my gods and closer to the effortless ease of true unshaken belief. As I grow closer making progress on dismantling old beliefs that no longer serve this reincarnation the world follows in suit for we are one. As Hermes always reassures me “I am You, You are Me and We are One.” 🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

My adaptation of the God of Arepo short story, which was originally up at ShortBox Comics Fair for charity. You can get a copy of the DRM-free ebook here for free - and I'd encourage you to donate to Mighty Writers or The Ministry of Stories in exchange.

Again it's an honour to be drawing one of my favourite short stories ever. Thank you so much for the original authors for creating this story; and for everyone who bought a copy and donated to the above non-profits.

[juliag13]

Love this! Mine is a beautiful dappled Sycamore. What’s yours?

Somewhere in the world, there is a tree that sprouted the same day you were born and has been growing along with you.

[juliag13]

Im so happy to have won! Thank you all for voting for me! The other entry was wonderful as well!! I was happy for the competition. 🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

I loved writing this fable and being a channel for Hermes myths to continue. I give him all the credit!!

I hope to continue to write more of this series of Hermes myths. I have another one in the works. I’m just waiting for him to download his story to me. I’ll know when it’s right!

Hail Hermes!! 🙌🏽❤️🙌🏽

Announcing the 2023 winners!

We are thrilled to announce the winners of this year's City Dionysia! Thank you everyone for your hard work and dedication!

Without further ado, the winners are:

✒ For the Poetry category, tied:

To the Naiades by @starofmithras & Of Madness and Men by @khaire-traveler

✒ For the Art category:

Dionysus by @kalilikeshorns

✒ For the Retellings category:

Sons of Zeus by @aimee-maroux

✒ and, finally, for the Original Myth category:

Hermes and the Jay by J. Johanan / @juliag13

Congratulations to our winners!

Continue writing and sharing your work with the world and the gods. Thank you again for your participation, and we look forward to seeing next time!

[juliag13]

I think this is a beautifully elegant hymn/prayer. It would be wonderful to use for a water blessing ritual. Thanks star of Mithras for writing it. 🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

To the Naiades

Come, O nurturing Naiades, Grant me the gift of inspiration To praise you properly with my song. With solemnity and reverence I ask you to partake of its expression And bless it with poetry. Come, O flowing ones, Defenders of purifying founts, Come from your freshwater abodes In lake and river and stream, Come and swim in the flood of my words, Come with favor and furnish my prayer With phosphorescence sacred and pure. Please hear the meaning of my fervent plea, And heed this beckoning for your gracious return. Harken, O Heleionomai and Pegaiai! Listen, O Limnades and Limnatides! Do you not hear Pan’s call? Wake from your ephemeral sleep, Below the thick crust of razor edge ice. Out of slumber primordial Be roused from beds of soft hydrophyte And turn to the beckoning light of great Helios’ orb. O sinewy nymphs of wave and foam, Break through the shards of the cold grasp of Boreas And breathe warm vapors into the atmosphere. Cut through the particles of Chione’s creation That covers slumbering Gaia and delays her stirring. Melt all transitory matter that would keep the world in limbo, And push our ever-changing sphere into its next glorious phase. I beg of you, O possessors of caprice, Return charming Hylas to the shore. Advise sweet Aristaios in making amends, And tend to Dionysos reborn. I plead to you, O keepers of moss and lily, Hurry the Spring and let frigid Winter’s reign Be ended by warmth and fecundity. I pray to you, O charming and elusive ones, Grace your watery oases once more With garlands of flowers and blooms. With your effortless fluidity, Bring fervor and life back To a world bound in hoary frost. Let us once more see your dances, O bright ones, May we once more hear your songs.

[juliag13]

Hello friends! I resubmitted an edited more polished version of the Hermes and Jay myth and lost all my previous votes. 😣 I didn’t realize that would happen. If you can please go and vote again for it if you like it! Thank you in advance! Here’s the link! https://www.tumblr.com/dionysia-ta-astika/713554887578943488/hermes-and-the-jay-by-j-johanan-one-day-hermes

[juliag13]

Check out my Reddit post if you’re so inclined about offerings and why I offer chocolate to Hermes.

[juliag13]

I absolutely adore this painting done by Johfra Boss. It’s more than a painting to me. It’s an adoration, a prayer, a state of being, and more I have no words for. Sometimes in deep meditation I feel exactly like the woman seated, absorbing all the knowledge and qi he has to give me. I had a vision of this the other night in fact it was so powerful that my jing energy shot up my spine like the two snakes rising and pure ecstasy followed. Gods I love him and what we do together. 🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

[juliag13]

A Poem for Hermes after a deep communion one morning with him. He encouraged me to write this and share it. It is part of my practice in vulnerability. I hope you enjoy it and feel his love for us through my words.

The Sea of Love

My Love is a Sea, an endless ocean, and I am but a speck of driftwood, a bobbing tiny thing, supported and caressed by the waves of ecstasy. I too am a fish, swimming and surrendering to its pull, to its movements of ebb and flow. When I swim I feel his warm fingers caressing my fins with eddies of laughter. When I surrender, I am infused, filled up with light, buoyed by the comfort of knowing this is my home and He, the architect of my home. This home is vast, this ocean an innumerable possibilities of delights and explorations. My human words are clumsy and inadequate to explain this experience of complete and utter consummation. Yet I can feel it, can be exposed to it, can surrender to the love of a being that has eternity to share its love. A divinity that has been able to nurture and expand his love into an ocean that can sustain all who choose to sail the waves or swim its depths. And so I, like the driftwood, float buoyed by his love, made wonderfully numb by the constant caress of waves against my skin. I too am a fish trusting and playing in his depths surrendering to the ecstasy that yearns to engulf me, that begs me to never desire land. This ocean, this sea of love is endless, boundless, and denies none its touch, its healing, its treasures. Walk into the waves, step by step, and feel the shiver of excitement starting at your ankles and moving up. Keep walking, trusting, surrendering. Let go as your feet lose touch with the sand. Let yourself be embraced, feel the weightlessness of anticipation, the tingle of delight. Revel in the sense of acceptance and know this ocean will never drown you. This ocean will only support you, nourish you and carry you upon its waves ever forward to your next adventure, your next iteration, your next life. Float or swim divinely protected, ecstatically taking all he has to give and more. When you grow weary float easily, let his love caress you, lap against your tired body, healing you, reminding you of all the times, when you swam strongly, confidently, with surety. Feel his love and pride for you for all you’ve accomplished, all you’ve done, the heartache, the dark nights and days you passed through. Then, healed by his love and renewed by your rest, dive in and swim again with your best efforts, joyfully surfing the waves again, confident in your own power, and knowing you are always supported by this sea of love. Move toward that distant land, that hope, those dreams, that desire knowing, always knowing that this ocean, this sea of love and its infinite supply of support, filled up by eons of compassion, empathy, love, and understanding will always be there. A respite for your mind, body, and soul, a shelter and a source of eternal acceptance. A home where the door is always open and the water is always warm.

Hail Hermes, Charidotes, Dotor Eaon, Eriounes, Acaceta, Cratus🙏🏽🙌🏽❤️🙌🏽🙏🏽

[juliag13]

Hermes and the Jay (edited)

Hermes and the Jay

One day Hermes was visiting the eastern North American woodlands having traveled there out of boredom and in search of new adventures. He was a busy god, always working and answering the call of duty for his many domains. But he had grown bored of running here and there doing the same things and was looking for not rest, no, for he knew not the word. He was searching for new experiences and new companions to delight and entertain him.

In the dappled woods and liminal spaces between field and forest, he met many interesting creatures and was especially delighted by the feathered birds of these places. Them, hearing that he was a god who would often grant boons, were eager to gain the favor of this curly-haired newcomer. So, they eagerly flocked to him, each wanting to impress him with their songs.

Hermes sat on a particularly fine moss-covered stump at the edge of an oak tree clearing, snacked on bramble berries, and listened to each song carefully. And although they sang each of their songs beautifully when he asked them about their daily adventures their lives sounded, well, very routine and quite boring. Cardinal was striking in his bright red coat but his pretty songs grew monotonous. Wren’s trilling tune was delightful but she only cared for finding bugs to eat. Woodpecker had no song at all but Hermes found the rhythms he knocked upon trees very intriguing. He thought his younger brother Dionysus would especially like this talent for drumming.

He sighed then stretched and after granting each one a boon for health and abundance that season he sent them all on their way. After all, he was a kind god and always rewarded those who sincerely sought his favor.

Yet the lord of adventure and mischief was dissatisfied for he had found no one that inspired him or that wanted to leave their cozy nests and hatchling rearing to seek adventure with him. Musing to himself aloud he said, “These birds are quite disciplined and quite boring. I suppose that is the right way to be if you’re a bird. But who will inspire me? Who will adventure with me?”

Hermes, the busy one, searched high and low and even asked a few mammals if they would go on adventures with him but they all scampered off only concerned with the business of survival. He put his hands on his hips and said, “For sure Fox will stop and play with me.” But Fox ran by stammering apologies and complaining about Man with bow and arrow trying to hunt him down. 

Hermes, tired of being bored, sat again on the mossy stump at the edge of the oak tree clearing. “How sad that a god cannot find a proper playmate!” He sighed in frustration and took up another handful of bramble berries for this golden-haired son of Maia was always hungry and he had worked up an appetite while searching.

Suddenly, a strange symphony of clicking, whistling, trilling, jeering, and gurgling sounded from above his head. Hermes, his appetite barely satiated, looked up just in time to have an acorn hit him in the forehead. 

At first, he was shocked. Who would dare hit him, a god, in the face? A gurgling laugh came from above him and before he could stop himself he looked up again and a second acorn hit him in the cheek. Once again the gurgling laugh rang out and Hermes couldn’t help it, he laughed out loud. And once he started he could not stop.

He found it incredibly amusing that someone would be so bold as to drop not one but two acorns on his perfect face. As he wiped tears from his cheeks he heard the strange cacophony again and he called out, “Who is there? Who is so clever to make me, a god, laugh out loud? Show yourself little one and receive my boon!”

A medium-sized bird about the size of a small crow hopped down to sit on a low branch in front of him. She was a plain gray color but had a jaunty crest on her little head. She was brave and bold and this made him admire her already.

“Who are you little one?”, the god asked smiling brightly. He much appreciated boldness and bravery in a creature. 

“I am Jay, Lord Hermes.” She answered in a grating voice and bobbed her head.

“Jay, huh? Why didn’t you come to see me earlier with the other birds of the forest?”

“My lord, my voice is not beautiful like Purple Finch nor bright and high like Cardinal nor happy like Robin’s. I thought not to bother you with my sounds.” The harsh sound of her voice belied her regality.

“Oh. Well, yes, I suppose that’s true. Your song is no song at all but a cacophony of sounds that sound like other things. How interesting!” Hermes was curious, his interest peaked by her uniqueness.

She bobbed her head, “Yes, my lord, you are right but I am bold, brave, clever, and my family supports me. Who needs a beautiful song when you have brains, family, and courage? My worth is not to be found in impressive singing but in clever living.” 

Hermes laughed out loud, “Too true, dear one!” He grinned and held out his finger for her to sit upon. She flitted to his hand and he drew her close to his shining face.

“We each have our gifts, do we not Jay? You are cleverer than most for you know who you are and where your strengths lie.”

“And better yet, my lord, because I do not waste time in singing and trying to outshine my neighbor I have plenty of time for adventure and play.” She fluttered her feathers and let out an amusing whistle. 

Hermes laughed again, quite delighted by his new friend. “Excellent! Then we shall go on adventures together! You lead and I will follow endeavoring to be the best Jay ever!”

With that, the shape-shifting god transformed into a Jay and together they had the best day the god had had in a very long time.

They got into all kinds of fun and mischief. She taught him how to imitate Red Shoulder Hawk to scare other birds away from the acorns, bramble berries, and bush berries.

She showed him how to steal food from other bird caches so they didn’t have to work so hard to find food. This made the god especially happy because even as a Jay he was hungry.

Together with her loud boisterous family, they protected their territory around the oak tree clearing by chasing away Red Tailed Hawk. That was great fun to a god who was never one to shrink from a fight. He also admired the way the Jays stuck together as a family and protected each other.

They followed Man through the woods and warned all the other creatures of the dangerous human with his bow and arrows. It was very satisfying to see this human leave the woods disgusted and empty-handed. Seeing this, Fox waved a ‘thank you’ to Hermes and his friend as they swooped past him. 

In a fun game of hunt and find they searched out and destroyed all  Cowbirds’ eggs that those tricky birds laid in the Jay family’s nests. They were too smart to be fooled by those imposters. You can’t trick a trickster after all!

The Jay family was constantly making a commotion in the forest for no good reason but because they could. Hermes had great fun joining them in making a general ruckus with his repertoire of odd Jay sounds. What a riot it was to scream and jeer and just let loose!

At the end of the day as the setting sun was igniting the western sky with pink and orange flames Hermes and his new best friend returned to the edge of the oak tree clearing. He morphed back into his human-like form and sat down upon the mossy stump one last time. 

The little Jay flew to his finger once again. They had become fast friends and he loved her as his own. She had shown him many things that delighted him, impressed him, and most importantly, they’d had exciting mischievous adventures all day long.

“Thank you Jay for showing me your world and your ways. I had the most fun today and I’ll always remember you, your bravery, intelligence, and your love of fun and mischief.”

She whistled and fluffed her feathers. In her heart she wished he would stay forever in the forest with her. However, she knew he was a god and had to get back to his god life and his god duties.

Hermes brought her to his face and gently kissed her black beak. Then he spoke, “From now on you will be my bird, my minister of mischief here in these eastern North American woodlands and in the liminal spaces between field and forest. I will forever look after you and your entire family, blessing you with abundance and even greater intelligence so that you may flourish and find space for your family in this changing world. Others will not understand your clever mind and misjudge your boldness. But as I love you for it there will be others who will love you because of that as well.”

He tenderly cupped her in his lovely hands and infused her with his love and grace. “I will give you another gift so that humans and others will admire you even if they don’t appreciate your courage.”

A royal blue light streamed from his palms. It washed over her turning most of her gray body into a gorgeous deep sky blue. The light continued flowing down her back creating bold black and white banding on her wing feathers and tail to reflect her personality that could be both light and dark. On her head, her jaunty crest was painted that same royal blue, a color the god loved dearly. He then lined her intelligent eyes with kohl so that they looked even brighter. Next, he drew those lines down both of her cheeks and gifted her with a royal necklace of black obsidian.

He held her out to admire his handiwork. “Yes, that will do. Very beautiful indeed!”

She fluffed her feathers again and let out a happy whistling tune. It still wasn’t beautiful but it was unique and completely hers.

“I name you Blue Jay from henceforth. Fly forth boldly my friend and live a long and happy life filled with courage, family, fun, and mischief!”

The Blue Jay flew off and from the oak trees at the edge of the clearing rose an incredible cacophony of clicking, whistling, trilling, jeering, and gurgling. Hermes smiled, pleased with his newest ambassador in the eastern woodlands of the continent known as North America.

Hermes got up from the mossy log and popped a few more bramble berries into his mouth for his trip back home. He then flew away from those eastern woodlands and liminal places between field and forest to return, refreshed, to his duties as a god of many things.

[juliag13]

Hi there!! Thanks for tuning in.

Been a lurker for awhile but I’m playing with the idea of doing more here.

If you’re here because you read my Hermes and the Jay story thank you so much!! I hope you enjoyed it!

Please If you share/reblog I’d like to be given credit. When I go to where it’s been reblogged I see no mention of my user name and that concerns me.

Not sure if Tumblr works that way but maybe someone will let me know. Like I said new here so forgive me if not crediting artist is a thing here.

I have a few creative friends who have been ripped off or copied I am concerned about this.

I always give credit for art in whatever posts I do because that is what you do.

I’m super proud of the work Hermes and I did together.

And I’m human. I like being credited for a job well done. Yes, please give me my gold star, thank you.

Thank you and enjoy this pic of his brass ram and crocuses and stock I’m drying for Hermes travel altar.